I'm in, but need to decide how in. The 2015 and our visit with Bruce were at the top of my list for 2018. I definitely want more VHR in the cellar, but must work the calculus of higher pricing, a larger allocation, and a ton of competing offerings out today.

I am shifting more that way Bill if I can find the wines at retail for the same or sometimes less. I am a big fan of the the Phillips and the wine so I feel like I want o directly support them but I have dropped of literally dozens of lists as I realized more and more they were available on retail for similar price points!!

I bought my full allocation, four of the 3 packs. Below are my notes from my tasting with Bruce at the VHR farmhouse. In short, I think it is one of the most exciting projects in Napa right now.

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The Vine Hill Ranch property features seven distinct blocks and each year the VHR release is a signature expression of the location and vintage. The 2016 Vine Hill Ranch has an incredibly layered nose of red fruits, chocolate, sage, and graphite. The wine combines the power and structure derived from the blocks that backup to the Mayacamas Mountains (Blocks 1 & 6) with the purity of Oakville fruit from the bench land closer to the highway (Blocks 3 & 4). Characteristic of the vintage, the 2016 VHR is already stunning, showing incredible balance at such an early stage. Bruce has delivered a remarkable follow-up to the near perfect 2015, one that may even surpass it with time in the bottle. 99+.

Last edited by jgreco on February 12th, 2019, 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Bruce (the proprietor) only make a single wine that is meant to be a singular expression of the vintage and vineyard. But Vine Hill Ranch fruit is in a lot of wines you might know. Bond Vecina comes from Block 1 which also goes into the 2016. Araujo, Lail, Mondavi, and others source from VHR.

My wife and I visited with Bruce in December last year. It was an amazing, eye-opening experience. We walked the vineyards and spent at least an hour geeking out about viticulture and planting methods in Napa vs Bordeaux. His passion for his craft is inspiring.

He is also a super-nice gentleman. He opened the 2015 and 2016 (which was not released then) for us to taste. Both were gorgeous, though if I had to choose I would give the edge to the 2016. He then gave us the remaining wine in both bottles to take away with us.

For these reasons, both my wife and I are big fans, and we would be very much inclined to buy our full allocation directly from VHR. Like Denny, we got a save the date email, and we are looking forward to it.

Stuck with a 3-pack after going for a 6-pack last year. Great wines but I'm waving the wine-stained flag when it comes to Napa Cab prices increases. There seems to be no ceiling on these so I'm shifting more of my dollars into Pinot these days. Napa Cabs have already become "special occasion" wines for many here and I think I'm going in that direction.

Turns out VHR has a very odd shipping policy. Ground shipping is free, unless they do not ship to your state. In that case, you have to pay VHR an extra $10.
That fee allows a third-party-shipper the right to go pick up your wine. Then, you pay the shipper the shipping fee.

Recap: Shipping is free, but if they don't ship it, they charge you $10.

Turns out VHR has a very odd shipping policy. Ground shipping is free, unless they do not ship to your state. In that case, you have to pay VHR an extra $10.
That fee allows a third-party-shipper the right to go pick up your wine. Then, you pay the shipper the shipping fee.

Recap: Shipping is free, but if they don't ship it, they charge you $10.

Turns out VHR has a very odd shipping policy. Ground shipping is free, unless they do not ship to your state. In that case, you have to pay VHR an extra $10.
That fee allows a third-party-shipper the right to go pick up your wine. Then, you pay the shipper the shipping fee.

Recap: Shipping is free, but if they don't ship it, they charge you $10.

So did you order any?

Short answer: no

I was on the fence going in. Wine sounds fantastic, but on the borderline of my comfort zone for price. I went in ready to pull the trigger, and put the wine in my shopping cart. Then, I discovered the shipping problem. At that point, the logistics were more of a hassle than I wanted to deal with--setting up an account with a shipper, arranging pickup, etc. The added cost (both from VHR and a third party shipper) was a factor. The extra hassle was a bigger factor.

I get it, VHR hardly needs me as a customer! Still, charging $10 to have someone pickup your wine, when you are shipping it to everyone else for free, seems a little odd.

Hey Mark if you are not comfortable with the price I get it. I have had to let a lot of wine lists go because my budget is just stretched to thin and I felt literally uncomfortable spending so much, that's when you know you gotta let it go. One great thing about VHR is you can typically get it on the secondary market for less than they sell it on their list. Now with it being a rated 100 point wine by AG it may be a different story when it hits the shelves...but you can find multiple vintages (2008-2015) at $165-180 online with wine searcher so maybe give that a run??

Hey Mark if you are not comfortable with the price I get it. I have had to let a lot of wine lists go because my budget is just stretched to thin and I felt literally uncomfortable spending so much, that's when you know you gotta let it go. One great thing about VHR is you can typically get it on the secondary market for less than they sell it on their list. Now with it being a rated 100 point wine by AG it may be a different story when it hits the shelves...but you can find multiple vintages (2008-2015) at $165-180 online with wine searcher so maybe give that a run??

Very good call Joe, and something I briefly explored, but then got caught up in the release. I will go back and check that out. No doubt, buying a bottle or two on the secondary market is a better way to decide if I even want to be on the list....

Any tips on how to open the wood cases? I removed from the box and figured there were screws, but see the tops are nailed in. I slipped a flathead in the crease to pry open, but the wood is so soft that it's making a major indention.

Surely there has to be a better way. Perhaps try to get a grip on the nails with pliers and lift?

Any tips on how to open the wood cases? I removed from the box and figured there were screws, but see the tops are nailed in. I slipped a flathead in the crease to pry open, but the wood is so soft that it's making a major indention.

Surely there has to be a better way. Perhaps try to get a grip on the nails with pliers and lift?

I’m not obsessive about my boxes so I just took a wide blade flat edge screwdriver, Push in near the nail and twisted a bit to get the nail loose enough for me to just pull out with a hammer.

The good news it’s worth it. Maybe one of the most singular bottles of Napa Cabernet I’ve ever had.